HIV Self-testing and Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in 23 US Cities, 2017
Authors: Cedric H. Bien-Gund, Pamela A. Shaw, Christine Agnew-Brune, Amy Baugher, Kathleen A. Brady, Robert Gross, Pascale Wortley, Jeff Todd, David Melton, Colin Flynn, Danielle German, Monina Klevens, Rose Doherty, Conall O'Cleirigh, Stephanie M. Schuette, David Kern, Antonio D. Jimenez, Jonathon Poe, Margaret Vaaler, Jie Deng, Alia Al-Tayyib, Melanie Mattson, Vivian Griffin, Emily Higgins, Mary-Grace Brandt, Salma Khuwaja, Zaida Lopez, Paige Padgett, Ekow Kwa Sey, Yingbo Ma, Shanell L. McGoy, Meredith Brantley, Randi Rosack, Emma Spencer, Willie Nixon, David Forrest, Bridget Anderson, Ashley Tate, Meaghan Abrego, William T. Robinson, Narquis Barak, Jeremy M. Beckford, Sarah Braunstein, Alexis Rivera, Sidney Carrillo, Barbara Bolden, Afework Wogayehu, Henry Godette, Kathleen A. Brady, Chrysanthus Nnumolu, Jennifer Shinefeld, Sean Schafer, E. Roberto Orellana, Amisha Bhattari, Anna Flynn, Rosalinda Cano, H. Fisher Raymond, Theresa Ick, Sandra Miranda De León, Yadira Rolón-Colón, Tom Jaenicke, Sara Glick, Celestine Buyu, Toyah Reid, Karen Diepstra, Jenevieve Opoku, Irene Kuo, Monica Adams, Chrstine Agnew Brune, Qian Anderson, Alexandra Balaji, Dita Broz, Janet Burnett, Johanna Chapin-Bardales, Melissa Cribbin, YenTyng Chen, Paul Denning, Katherine Doyle, Teresa Finlayson, Senad Handanagic, Brooke Hoots, Wade Ivy, Kathryn Lee, Rashunda Lewis, Lina Nerlander, Evelyn Olansky, Gabriela Paz-Bailey, Taylor Robbins, Catlainn Sionean, Amanda Smith, Anna Templinskaya, Lindsay Trujillo, Cyprian Wejnert, Akilah Wise, Mingjing Xia
Journal: JAMA Network Open (2022)

Importance HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a promising strategy to expand the HIV care continuum, particularly among priority populations at high risk of HIV infection. However, little is known about HIVST uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM) outside of clinical trial settings. Objective To evaluate HIVST use among urban MSM in the US who reported testing within the past 12 months. Design, Setting, and Participants A cross-sectional study of adult MSM in the 2017 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system, which used venue-based sampling methods to collect data related to HIV testing, receipt of prevention services, and risk factors for HIV, was conducted at 588 venues in 23 urban areas in the contiguous US and Puerto Rico. All participants were offered HIV testing. Adult cisgender MSM who reported HIV-negative or unknown HIV status and obtained HIV testing in the past 12 months were included. Data for this study were collected between June 4, 2017, and December 22, 2017, and analyzed between October 23, 2020, and August 20, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported HIVST in the past year. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) using survey weights were calculated to assess factors associated with HIVST. Results A total of 6563 MSM in 23 urban areas met inclusion criteria, of whom 506 (7.7%) individuals reported HIVST in the past year. The median age of self-testers was 29 (IQR, 25-35) years, 52.8% had completed college, and 37.9% reported non-Hispanic White race. One self-tester reported seroconverting in the prior 12 months, and an additional 10 self-testers were diagnosed with HIV during the survey. HIVST was associated with sexual orientation disclosure (aPR, 10.27; 95% CI, 3.45-30.60; P &amp;amp;lt; .001), perceived discrimination against people with HIV (aPR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.09-2.03; P = .01), younger age (aPR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.66-0.84; P &amp;amp;lt; .001), higher educational level (aPR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.37; P = .01), and higher income levels (aPR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32; P = .009). No association was noted with condomless anal sex (aPR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.88-1.06, P = .88), sexually transmitted infections (aPR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.70-1.30; P = .77), or preexposure prophylaxis use (aPR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.75-1.30; P = .92). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, HIVST was relatively uncommon in this sample of urban MSM. HIVST may not be reaching those with lower socioeconomic status or who have not disclosed their sexual identity. The findings of this study suggest that efforts to increase HIVST should focus on engaging underserved and vulnerable subgroups of MSM.